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Diabetics can help their health

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It is like music to my ears to read in
TheDispatch that the rates of diabetes complications have declined by over 60 percent in the
past two decades — in spite of the fact that the number of U.S. adults with diabetes has more than
tripled during those 20 years (“Rates of diabetes problems on decline,” Associated Press article,
April 17).

According to
The New York Times, (“For Diabetics, Health Risks Fall Sharply,” April 17), educated
patients tend to manage diabetes well while those without education due to poverty or language
barriers are far more likely to suffer the devastating complications of diabetes.

The Central Ohio Diabetes Association has been providing diabetes screenings, self-management
education, medical assistance and support for people with diabetes in our community for 50 years,
regardless of ability to pay.

We know that our work has helped thousands of children and adults with Type 1 and Type 2
diabetes to detect their disease, control their blood sugar, live healthier lives and avoid or
reduce the devastating complications of diabetes.

How nice to see that our first-hand experience with our clients has been validated by
researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Education works. When people understand their disease — and, most important, when they have
access to resources to help them manage it — they can live longer, healthier lives.

And those 179 million Americans with pre-diabetes can reduce their risk of developing the
disease, by taking educated steps now to make healthy nutrition and lifestyle choices.

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes cost the nation a record-high $245
billion in 2012, a 41 percent increase from $174 billion in 2007.

Roughly 1 in 10 Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes. Here in central Ohio, more than
220,000 people have diabetes and the cost to our community is nearly $1 billion.

We can reduce this terrible burden on our community by becoming educated about diabetes and how
to manage it.

The proof is in the CDC study — you don’t have to become the “1 in 10” people that has diabetes.
Get screened for diabetes; take a cooking class or a diabetes-education class.

The Central Ohio Diabetes Association looks forward to continuing to help all people with
diabetes learn to live well with the challenge of diabetes.